I Know You're Still Just A Dream - Chapter 10 (Early Access) (Patreon)

Elijah POV

Twenty-one hours and seven minutes. Elijah's wife's eyes has been closed for almost a full day, and her body deadly still. If he hadn't seen the transformation process first-hand before, he would be even more sickly anxious than he already was. She would wake up. Not long to go. He had repeated the words out loud, to himself and to his son, for twenty-one hours and eight minutes.

His current situation was far too reminiscent of her fall. Sitting beside her, waiting for her eyes to open. How the fates had deemed it fair that he should suffer through the agony of a hospital waiting area twice, he didn't understand.

At twenty-one hours and nine minutes, perfectly round black eyes blinked open. They searched groggily, adjusting to her new vision and taking in her surroundings. Relief swept over Elijah’s skin like a chill.

"Good morning," he said quietly. Her newly-improved hearing would catch every word, even if he whispered.

"Hi," she replied, sounding breathless. "It's morning?" Her eyes darted about, gathering her bearings. “It… looks weird in here.”

“The ward?”

“Everything is so bright,” she whispered.

Elijah chuckled. He had always had vampire vision, but he knew from others’ anecdotes that the difference could be a shock. He couldn’t imagine not being able to see everything. And hear everything. And all of the other additional senses he had over the average human. It would be a sensory overload for Lucia.

She squeezed her eyes shut and brought her hands over her ears. “I feel like I’m on drugs,” she groaned.

Elijah leant forward, stroking his palm over her forehead gently. His other hand clutched his son to his chest. “There won’t be anything left in your system now that you’ve turned," he said.

“I’m a vampire,” Lucia whispered in amazement. She dropped her hands, but kept her eyes shut.

“You are,” Elijah confirmed. He removed his hand, he wanted to stare at her face. Now that life had filled her again, she was addictive to observe.

“Hell yeah,” she said. More to herself, it seemed.

Elijah watched her with a full heart. “Why do I get the awful feeling that this transition will somehow make you more prone to conflict?” he mused.

Lucia cracked her eyes open, and a grin quirked at the corner of her mouth. “That’s a real fancy way of saying these hands aren’t just for humans anymore,” she said. She raised her fists with a maniacal grin.

Her rings caught the light and she flinched before glancing down at them. Elijah had returned them to her hand after carrying her to the ward. She held her hand out and wiggled her fingers.

“I can see every teeny tiny glint of light,” she said, trace-like. “There are little scratches on the bands that I’ve never seen before.”

“We can get them repaired,” Elijah offered.

“No, I just-” Lucia blinked slowly and finally looked him in the face. “It’s just a lot to see everything as though it’s… brand new.”

“Do I look different?” he asked with an awkward smile.

“Even more handsome, of course,” she said with a wink. “And my other handsome boy,” she added, her voice slipping into a sweet coo as her eyes dropped to their son in his arms.

“He’s been so sweet and quiet while you were asleep.” Elijah laid him over Lucia’s chest and her hands curled around him, instinctively and delicately.

“He’s so perfect,” Lucia gasped. She stroked the tips of her fingers through his fluffy hair and her face creased as though she were about to sob. But no tears came, her body couldn’t generate them anymore.

He gave her a few minutes to take in the beautiful baby she had brought into the world. His son. He had never thought he would love anyone as much as he loved Lucia, and certainly not as quickly as he fell for her. But with his son, it hadn’t taken more than a moment. The connection was instant. And now the two halves of his world were cuddled together in front of him. Finally safe and healthy.

“I have something for you,” he announced.

“For me?”

“You have given me the greatest gift in the world," he said, pulling a square box from his jacket, slung over the back of the plastic chair. "I hope this can be a small start of repaying my gratitude to you.” He placed it in her lap and she looked at him curiously. He nodded at the box, encouraging her to take a look.

Lucia balanced Baby Bonnet on her chest to free her hands and take up the box. He pouted up at her, as though unimpressed that her attention had been stolen. As the lid was peeled open she couldn’t contain the soft gasp that slipped through her lips. Baby Bonnet blinked his interest in her reaction, his head wobbling on his weak neck. Glittering up at her was a diamond the size of an olive, cut into the shape of a heart, with silver claws clutching it and connecting it to a thin chain that pooled around it. Sariyah had been very direct in her instructions for what to buy.

“I thought you were going to learn Spanish as my push present?” She breathed, unable to break eye contact with the enormous stone.

Elijah lifted it from its velvet cushion and dangled it behind Baby Bonnet's head, where it would sit just below her collar bone.

“Yo aprendí español para mi hijo. Esto es para ti.” (I learned Spanish for my son. This is for you.)

“It’s… stunning. And not just because I seem to have HD vision now.” She tilted his hand back and forth, letting the gem catch the light dazzlingly. Every facet would be so clear to her enhanced eyes. Elijah understood, it was mesmerising to see them bounce the light. “Gracias, Elijah.”

“De nada.”

“Your pronunciation isn’t bad either.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, but we’ll need to get you using some Dominican slang to sound more authentic.”

“As long as you’re teaching, I’m happy to learn.”

Lucia grinned. “I love you," she said softly.

“I love you more,” he replied. And he meant it. As determined as Lucia was, she couldn’t love him like he loved her. She, and their son, were his universe.

She scoffed at him and returned her attention to Baby Bonnet, propping him up and making goofy faces with their noses an inch apart. Maybe he was seeing things, but Elijah was convinced his son had his wife's face. A copy and paste of every feature.

He commented such, and Lucia disagreed. She said she was certain Baby Bonnet had his grandfather’s eyebrows. Elijah hoped to god that wasn’t true.

Their family had not been granted permission to visit the medical ward while Lucia was undergoing her transformation, so they had yet to meet the baby. Dr Farris and Nurse Julie had supported Elijah through his first twenty-four hours as a father, because before Elijah allowed any contact from anyone else, he had something important to take care of.

He left Lucia and their beautiful boy in the care of the medical team, and stalked to his father’s office.

Both of his parents were inside, which would only save him time. He greeted them, sent out every staffer inside, and closed the door. He had no time for niceties or warming up the conversation.

“I am taking control of the clan,” he announced. He stared his father down without any emotion in his features. He would not let them treat him as being over-emotional, or making a hysterical decision. “You will step down as head and hand over your title to me, effective immediately.”

“Elijah!” his mother gasped. She glanced about the room looking distraught, no doubt listening out for anyone within eavesdropping vicinity. She didn't trust her own staff to scarper when ordered to. “How dare y-”

“Oppose me and face scandalous ruin,” Elijah stated. Striking at their worst fear first. “This is not a discussion, nor a request. You put my wife and son in danger and therefore are not fit to lead the clan. I will not have you make any more mistakes with my family.”

“We are your family,” his father murmured.

“And I will take care of you, too,” Elijah replied. “From my position as head of the clan.”

He strode out, uninterested in further argument. He had no qualms with creating a raging storm of bad publicity to usurp his father. He felt as though he’d had a tornado churning his insides since Lucia was snatched. Fear for the worst and fury at how it had been allowed to come so close were warring inside of him.

Within twelve hours, his father’s official resignation had been announced. They had not informed Elijah beforehand, but he was not surprised. His parents feared nothing more than public conflict. To be seen by their loyal subjects as anything but perfect. The topic was not broached in conversation amongst the family again, and his mother took a public stance of extreme joy and pride in her son’s ascension. Saving face until the very end.

The next day, they introduced Baby Bonnet to the rest of the family.

Elijah held his son in one arm and kept his other tucked tight around Lucia's waist as they entered the lounge where their loved ones waited. Five pairs of eyes were pointed at the doors before they had even made it through, excitedly awaiting the arrival of their newest heir.

“Mother, father, Eden, Sariyah and Reginald," Elijah greeted, drawing out the moment. "I am so incredibly happy to introduce you to my son: Aiden Leonardo Bonnet.”

They swarmed him instantly, all vying for a proper inspection of Aiden. Sariyah and Eden made cooing sounds and clutched each other as they praised how small and adorable he is. A weak smile seemed all Lucia could manage in response to their rapid-fire compliments. She kept to Elijah's side, still overwhelmed with her new body and abilities.

“Goodness, so much hair!” his mother exclaimed, running her fingers through the dark tufts gently. She turned to appraise Lucia. “He is beautiful,” she said with the utmost sincerity, and took Lucia’s hands in her own, with as soft a touch as she had used with her new grandson. “You have done very well, my daughter.”

“Thank you.” Lucia whispered, both sounding and appearing completely uncomfortable with all the attention.

Reginald, who had been bobbing about at the back of the huddle thus far, finally broke through to view Aiden from the front row. “How charming,” he mumbled, seemingly transfixed for a few minutes.

"Do you think you might change your mind about wanting one?" Eden asked him, her tone light and teasing.

Reginald didn't answer, but he did accept a cuddle with Aiden later in the day. Eden gave Sariyah a wide grin, which she returned.

That night, Aiden slept between Elijah and Lucia. Foregoing the ridiculously expensive cot that had been purchased for his arrival, at least for the first night together.

Elijah spent the night teaching his wife how to trance sleep as a vampire. Lucia spent the night failing to achieve trance sleep. Her pupils constantly slid to the side, checking on their bundle of joy. Her ears permanently tuned to his snuffly breaths. Her focus had one destination only. Elijah felt the same way.

Every time their precious baby awoke in the darkness, they were glad to hear his cries.